Welcome to The COO Solution Podcast, the go-to resource for entrepreneurs and business leaders ready to scale their companies with confidence and clarity, supported by a trusted partner.
This podcast is hosted by Derek Fredrickson, Founder and CEO of The COO Solution. It offers a hands-on approach to operational excellence, delivering both big-picture strategies and detailed tactics designed to drive sustainable growth.
Each episode explores entrepreneurs' real-world challenges when building and scaling a business—creating accountability, optimizing team performance, or streamlining systems. Through relatable examples, candid conversations, and actionable advice, Derek shares the proven insights he’s developed in the trenches with business owners like you.
Whether you’re stepping out of the day-to-day grind to focus on visionary leadership or feeling stuck in operational chaos and looking for answers, this podcast provides the tools and guidance you need to overcome obstacles, align your team, and achieve meaningful results.
If you’re ready to turn entrepreneurial overwhelm into scalable success, join us for new episodes filled with practical advice, relatable stories, and empowering solutions. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work—together.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to The COO Solution Podcast, the go-to resource for entrepreneurs and business leaders ready to scale their companies with confidence and clarity, supported by a trusted partner.
This podcast is hosted by Derek Fredrickson, Founder and CEO of The COO Solution. It offers a hands-on approach to operational excellence, delivering both big-picture strategies and detailed tactics designed to drive sustainable growth.
Each episode explores entrepreneurs' real-world challenges when building and scaling a business—creating accountability, optimizing team performance, or streamlining systems. Through relatable examples, candid conversations, and actionable advice, Derek shares the proven insights he’s developed in the trenches with business owners like you.
Whether you’re stepping out of the day-to-day grind to focus on visionary leadership or feeling stuck in operational chaos and looking for answers, this podcast provides the tools and guidance you need to overcome obstacles, align your team, and achieve meaningful results.
If you’re ready to turn entrepreneurial overwhelm into scalable success, join us for new episodes filled with practical advice, relatable stories, and empowering solutions. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work—together.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The COO Solution Podcast, host Derek Fredrickson sits down with Melissa Ortiz, founder of Activate Human Capital Group, to explore the often-overlooked root cause of team frustration, burnout, and misalignment: unclear roles.
If your team is working hard but not necessarily on the right things, this episode is for you.
Melissa breaks down what role clarity really means—and why it matters more than ever for growing companies. From using the Predictive Index to hiring smarter, to transforming underperforming teams into aligned, high-performing units, this episode is packed with practical advice for founders, integrators, and team leaders.
In This Episode:
[00:56] The Power of Alignment – Why engagement and clarity go hand in hand.
[02:33] Why Role Clarity Is the Missing Link – And what “right seat” really looks like.
[05:04] Job Description ≠ Clarity – What founders often get wrong when hiring.
[08:17] Getting Practical – How to create a one-pager that defines success for each role.
[12:44] From Chaos to Confidence – How teams transform when responsibilities are defined.
[14:40] Living Documents – How to revisit and update role clarity as your business evolves.
[18:32] All About Predictive Index – Why this five-minute assessment is game-changing.
[21:12] Think-to-Talk vs. Talk-to-Think – How this distinction improves communication.
[27:00] Hiring Smarter – How to define your ideal candidate profile using PI.
[31:07] Sifting Through the Noise – Using assessments to save time (and bad hires).
[34:39] The Waste Factor – How role clarity and alignment eliminate wasted time, energy, and talent.
Why This Matters
Confused roles create confusion everywhere else—in decision-making, accountability, and even culture. This episode will help you step back, audit your team, and reset the foundation for scale. Whether you’re hiring or optimizing an existing team, clarity is your first and most powerful move.
Action Steps for Listeners:
Resources & Links:
Let’s connect:
➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekfredrickson/
➡️ https://www.instagram.com/thecoosolution/
➡️ https://www.facebook.com/thecoosolution
👉 If you found this episode valuable, share it with a fellow business owner ready to scale smarter!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.